FIFA INTERACTIVE WORLD CUP COMES TO LONDON
FIFA in association with Xbox and EA launches search for UK’s best Interactive FIFA Player 2004
LONDON, 8TH November 2004 - Thousands of would-be gaming Vieira's, Morientes's and Shevchenko's will have to chance to test their skills this month when the FIFA Interactive World Cup comes to London.
The one-day extravaganza, to be held at Earls Court on November 20th 2004, invites gamers from all over the UK to prove how good they are on EA SPORTS' FIFA Football 2005 on the Xbox® video game system from Microsoft®. Gamers have the chance of going through to the worldwide final in Zurich on 19th December to take on the best players from seven other worldwide events.
Between 9-11am on Saturday November 20th, anyone who fancies their chances of making the grade can come to Earls Court to pre-qualify to win one of 512 places available for one of the semi finals that afternoon.
The other 512 pre-qualfiers, sourced through the FIFA Interactive World Cup website (www.fifainteractiveworldcup.com), FIFA Football 2005 tournaments on Xbox® LiveTM and tournaments at Powerleague 5-a-side centres, will play in the other half of the draw with the best eight players in each section of the draw battling it out for the grand prize, a trip to Zurich to play in the world final.
The winner will ultimately be named FIFA Interactive World Player 2004 and be presented with an award at the FIFA World Player Gala on December 20th in Zurich.
For those football fans who may not have the silky skills in their hands, four specially designed football skills areas will be set up at Earls Court for wannabee Ronaldos and Rooneys to practice flicks and tricks at the Penalty Speed Kick, Free Kick Wall, Timed Dribble and Shoot and Accuracy Goal.
For those football fans who may not have the silky skills in their hands, four specially designed football skills areas will be set up at Earls Court for wannabee Ronaldos and Rooneys to practice flicks and tricks at the Penalty Speed Kick, Free Kick Wall, Timed Dribble and Shoot and Accuracy Goal.
Aston Villa and England Striker Darius Vassell will also be dropping in to show his skills on FIFA Football 2005 and in the football skills areas.
Top DJ's Darren Emerson, Tim Westwood, Krafty Kuts and Mutiny will entertain the crowds while big screens will show interviews with professional footballers, exclusive behind the scenes footage of the making of FIFA Football 2005 and highlights and action from the last round.
The FIFA Interactive World Cup was launched in August at the Leipzig Games Convention and has already visited Johannesburg, New York and Rio de Janeiro. Between now and 11th December it will also visit Sydney, Seoul, Paris and Berlin.
For more information on the FIFA Interactive World Cup, please visit www.FIFAinteractiveworldcup.com. Pre-registration for the event starts on the FIFA Interactive World Cup website on 6th November 2004.
About FIFA
For the past 100 years, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association, founded on 21 May 1904 in Paris and better known as FIFA, has continued to provide the essential leadership role to the international football family. Headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, the eighth FIFA President, Joseph S. Blatter (Switzerland), guides the organisation today with a commitment to the evolution of FIFA as a modern and dynamic association. The basis of the world's football family is formed by FIFA's member associations. From the founding seven in 1904, the family has today grown to 205 affiliated associations, also organised into six confederations spanning the globe. FIFA's worldwide activities go well beyond its various competitions, such as the world's biggest single-sport event, the FIFA World CupTM. In projects such as SOS Children's Villages and the FIFA Goal Programme, FIFA gives material, financial and promotional support to develop the game and bring joy to underprivileged children worldwide.
About Xbox
Xbox (http://www.xbox.com) is the video game system from Microsoft that brings people together for the most exhilarating game and entertainment experiences. Xbox delivers an expansive collection of breakthrough games, powerful hardware and the unified Xbox® LiveTM online service. The new tagline, "it's good to play together," captures the spirit of Xbox as the social hub of the new digital entertainment lifestyle. Xbox is now available in the UK for an estimated street price of £99.99.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software - any time, any place and on any device.
Microsoft and Xbox are either registered trade marks or trade marks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries.
About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts, headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world's leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, EA posted revenues of $2.96 billion for fiscal 2004. The company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers and the Internet. In 2003, EA had 27 titles that sold more than one million copies. Electronic Arts markets its products under three brand names: EA SPORTSTM, EA GAMESTM and EA SPORTS BIGTM. EA's homepage and online game site is www.electronicarts.co.uk. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at www.electronicarts.co.uk/press